Hydraulic clutch



July 5, 1932; A. N. THOMAS HYDRAULIC CLUTCH Original Filed Dec. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORQ ALBERT If I THOIYAGI A TTORNEY.

Ju y 1 A. N.. THOMAS 1,366,066

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH Original Filed Dec. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

ALBERTIY-THOIMG,

A TTQRNE Y.

Patented July 5, 1932 Annnnr mgjiojrins, w'IoHI'rA, KANSAS HiZlDRAJULIC ime I Application filedDeceniber 24,'19 28,"{Seria1 invention relates to improvements in hydraulic clutches. E The object of my invention is to provide a hydraulic clutch composed of a plurahty of gear pumps controllediby a piston type pass valve and allmounted in a housing.

filled with a liquid for the engagementand release of a torque transmitted by adriv ng to a driven shaft- V Another object of my invention is to pro vide a hydraulic clutch mechanism the en-f gagement of which depends upon the liquid pressure accumulated, by aplurality of gear' pumps driven from a central vmemberyin planetary arrangement -;and for which the adjacent compressionwalls are ad ustable.;

to provide a hydraulic clutch transmission consisting of a plurality of gear pumps, 1n planetary. engagement with, a; central-gear member; with the hydraulicelement or fluid,

functioning :as' a lubricant tionof the gears.

during the rota- 'A still further. object o finvention is to provide ahydraulic clutch: in combination witha dry clutch of the conetypeor'the like;

and a brake mechanismrfor-useonhoists or winches in which case the hydraulic clutch;

gal force of the transmitted rotation and sim- ,ple in design andcharacterr.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form apart of this specificalike parts in'the different views. Referring. to the drawingsz fm tion and wherein like characters apply to Fig. 1 is an end view of the driving end of; the clutch with parts broken away and in a H i end of thezfclutch. The control lever 25,

section for. the-purpose ofillustration. M

.Fig. 2is aside View of. the clutch with parts removed and in section forillustrative purposes.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section with regard to the valve seat. Fig. 4 is aside view of the by-pass valve.

object otmy invention is to J *No'. tastes; Renewed mama-a 12, 1931.

Fig.5 is a cross section of the bypass valve taken on the line 55 in Fig. 4;. I Fig. .6 is'a'plan view of the clutch'installed on a winch in combination with a cone clutch and hand brake.

Fig.7 is an elevation of the band brake indicating its actuating levers and cams.

A cylindrical housing, composed of the end plates and 2andthe central memberB the latter having a web wall 4 and valve seat 5 integral therewith,- has: a flanged connectionat either end andisfheld'together stay bolts 6 in the manner shown.

byth' The flange 7 "provides the conne'ctionifor the driving means: The flange v7 is keyed i j to shaft 8 and trunnioned in theend plate 1 A still further object of my invent on is as shown. @A center gear 9 is keyedtothe shaft 8 and rotatable therewith. 1The' c'enter--gear 9 is in .mesh' withf'the planetary: gears shownas trunnioned-at A; B, and Gin:

the-members 1,14 and 2 respectively'and the gears 12 and 13, and are adj'ustably posi-.-

tioned by means of stud bolts and shims on= bases15.. Release ports 16 and circulation ports 17 are positioned inithe valve -seat- 5 as shown.

A piston 1 typeby-pass valve; is positioned slidably in thevalve seat; I The valvehasa plurality of discs 19 integral with a threadedly engage the valve'a-nd pass through hollow center member 20. Slide bolts 321:

the endplate 2 as shown. The slidebolts 21 are rigidly 'connectedtoa collar 22slid ably mountedon-the shaft extension 23,; the latter being integral with the end plate-2Q andglgeyed to the flange This fiange i serves; as a shaft connection, for the driven rockably mounted at D, slidably engages the. collar 22 asshown and is responsibleforthe position of the. latter, and-also the valvelto which the collar is. connected.

rious gears as indicated by the arrows. The fluid or oil contained in the housing 1s car- I ried by the teeth of the gears from the points mechanism 28 are mounted 'on the shafts 29' v hyit'he hoist, thehydraulic mechanism is 7 5m placed: in engagement-by the lever 31 The lever 82' is reversed to disengage the cone I clutch serves as both a brake and'aclutch.

indicated at E into the space shown at F. The valve 5 being in'the position shown in Fig. 2 the oil passes through the ports 16 in the valve and back; through the ports L7 to. a repetition of the described? circulation started at E. The

housing for lubrication. Under these conditions the housing which is rotatable with I the driven flange 24 remains stationary.

A movement of the lev r arm 2.5. in. the di rection shown by the arrow makes the discs "Thusthe partlcipation of the rotation ot the flange Qiwith the flange? is dependent upon the position oi: the leve'r= 25.

In Fig-1&1 havev illustrated my invention in combination with aband brake and a cone type clutch for: use on a winch.

oThe driving-means, not shown being: connect'ed tothe: shaft 29: V

i The cone clutch QT, and theband brake and; 29! shown, withzthe shaft 29' con-- lustrated. The lever controls the move-- ment of? the lever 251 for engagement" or re-- lease oi the hydraulic clutch. The levercontr o'ls-. the release or engagement ofthe cone clutch and the movement off the lever 33' Off the brake assembly 28. By reason. of

the cams. 3i and? 351 on] the brake assemblly: the

- band36: grips: the drum 3Z'upon movement of the arm 33,. thebrake engaging upon-the release of the cone clutch 27. In. the arrangement shown in Fig: 6 with the cone. clutch. in engagement and. the brake in release, the hydraulic mechanism is oper-g' able asa clutching means. 7

To. facilitate the lowering. ot' a load, raised clutch-27 and engagethe brake28. The lever 31 new controls theflowering of the load by its'movement transmitted to the hydraulic IIIQClIiHIl Sm fQI" reljease togrotation ,oflthe shaft-'30. v

In theoccasion illustrated thehydranlic An advantageQfiIiy invention is the valve control mechanism which is not'aflected by centrifugal force. i

ports 26 in the :member 4 serve to distribute the. Oil thIlQugllQlltv the.

The stopping or lockingof" nectedttothe flange'i'r. The flange of the hydraulic clutch is. connected to the shafr t 30 which drives; the winch mechanism as i Also the pumping action is purely 11ydraulic, there being no vanes or wings in frictional engagement with side walls. The gear 'teeth of the pumping gears are to be in clearance, although slight, from the compression walls;

I do not wish tabe restricted to any:particular materiall ormanner of tabri'cati'on and such modifications may be employed as lie wi hin. the scope. Qithe appended claims, and what I'd'o claim as new and desire to secure by- LettelssPatent is:

'1'. In a hydraulic clutch mechanism, a drivmemher; a system ofiplanetary gears rotatable with respect to the driving member, fluidcompressin-g gears rotatable with-the planetary gears, compression walls about the compressing gears having fluid: openings therein, means for adjusting the compression; Wa'l'ls relative to the peripheries: of the.

compressing gears, a cylindrical or piston by-pass valve sl idably arranged within thecliutchmechanismpast the fluid openings, controlling the magnitude of fliuid compress sion fromthe compressinggearsztolretard. circu lati on ofifl u i d, thereby opposing-the rotation of; the compression gears anrl transmit.- ting" the fiorceof rotation from the driving tothe driven member of theinechanism-.-

2. In a hydraulic clutch mechanism a=. housing containing a hydraulic fluid, a driven shaft connected to the housing, gears in said housing in planetary arrangement, gear pumps rotatable with said first gears, thefirst. gears and the gear pumps being rota table withthe shaft, a piston tight by-pass: valve, a cylindi ical'val ve seat havingcirculation ports, cut-ofi discson the valve, slide able with the valve the valve seat to retardgthe circulation of oil? in the valve seat thereby d'ammingthe fiuid circulationv of-said gearpumps to'provide a pressure against the rotation of'the; componentgears: of thegear 7 pumps and opposing-the rotationoffthe plan etary arrangement to thedriving; shaft totransmit the rotation offthedriving shaft tothe housing and driven'shait' for the purpose; of a clutch or brake. V

In a hydraul i'c cl utoh mechanism, a hous ing having liquid?thereing planetarp gears in,

the housing including a.- center geama shaft: connected to the center gear, gearpumps' rotatahl'e with. the planetary: gears, a cylindrical valveseat having-circulation ports, a; hollow cylindrical! valve slidable'in the seat having ports to aline-with: theports ini the-:valve seat" to vary the efleotive port areas. otfthe circulation port's t'o' vary the torque between the housingand'the planet my gears;

In testimony whereof I- aflix: my signature.

ALBERT THOMAS. 

